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Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Craziest Sewing Project

As I was doing the blogroll scroll I read Dawn's great post of "what the heck is it?" I won't spoil the fun and tell you what she made but it is quite clever and definite out of the box sewing. It made me think of my strangest sewing adventure. To squeeze up DH's part of the story, he met one of the Busch racers at New Hampshire International Speedway a few days before the next big race. One comment led to another and before you know this good ole country boy was telling DH he needed some patches put on his firesuit, those fancy "uniforms" they wear at the races with all the colorful advertising. When DH called me to see if I could do it, I thought he meant patch as in repair. Truth was, I had to sew on several large advertising patches on the suit from new sponsors. Job taken! It was a hoot dealing with this suit. It was extremely well made and definitely felt like it could stop a fire. Yes, I broke a few needles. I can't remember if he paid me or not, but I do remember that DH got to go to the race and spend the entire race right there with the pit crew. They had him keeping some sort of tally. He was thrilled and never forgot it.

I am sure some of you, like Dawn, have sewn some really unique items. Come clean, what the heck were they? Leave your story and a name will be drawn for two OLDer Threads magazines. Can't wait to hear!

This week I have a house full of company, not conducive to working on Betty's dress, but I will get back to it the minute I can. I am so itching to finish and get the photos up. If you are following along with your own version I am sorry for the sabbatical. I will be back to it soon, with a few days. In the meantime, sitting and conversing with our company is conducive to hand mending so I have gotten 3 pair of pants altered and hemmed. Yippee! New pants for summer!

15 comments:

Judi from Maryland here. I once sewed a pair of orange and white striped (it was awning fabric) clown type pants for a guy who walked on stilts in them! And then I sewed a pirate's logo (the white skull and crossed bones) on the back of his black vest because he worked in a "Jolly Roger" amusement park. I had to design the logo myself and applique it on. He was tickled. He was actually a juggler and he added the stilts sometimes for added affect as he traveled around the park or other events he was working.

Thanks for helping me remember this! It was over 20 years ago and yet I had no trouble instantly remembering my oddest sewing projects. I didn't make much money from these, though I'm certain I was paid, but it was a lot of fun doing them.

Well, one of the things I sewed to a clients specifications ended up being used in a manner that really freaked me out.... The client brought me the drawing and dimensions and I sewed it up. Later when I asked it was for.....I really wished I had not asked. To put it gently......it was a very firm pillow that would be at home on a massage table...enough said??

And right now I have an unfinished project for a client that I am still stumped on. It will be a cover with pockets to fit over a center console in his truck. It will be very practical, but I am still trying to figure it out.

Well, there was the time I sewed Christmas tree garland to angel costumes for the church I was attending at the time. There was also the custom fishing bag I made for a colleague, based on his old one - with special pockets, straps, clips, etc. so that all his gear was exactly where he wanted it. He wore this out in the water with waders or in the boat.

Two come to mind 1. Priest vestments for my friend who was struggling with the collars. No pattern just the priest vestment to copy. 2. I made a Glenda (the good witch in the Wizard of Oz) for a 6' 3" XXL man for a costume party. Everytime I think about that costume it makes me smile- I somehow talked my husband into trying it on for me to hem and we got a picture of it. We still hold it over his head.

I made a flag for my son's Cub Scout Troop--stripes and lettering. I did not enjoy working with the nylon fabric, but I wanted the flag to be washable and weatherproof. I was so happy to be done with it and never have to sew with that material again. Then they lost the flag! I did sew another one.

A Halloween costume for a weiner dog. A little navy blue sweatshirt with the Fire Department logo on front and back. Maybe not crazy, but a first for me! And I had to embroider the dog's name on it... Oscar, of course! (Get it? Oscar Meyer? Hot Dog?) True Story.

My neighbour had studied costume design at university and was working as a seamstress at a local theatre. It was the week before the opening of Joseph and the Amazing Dreamcoat. They were falling behind in making the costumes and I was asked to come work for the week. My contributions were of the basic sort but it was wonderful to work with some amazing seamstresses and see the behind scene activity with the designer and the actors getting fitted with the costumes. Also I was officially a seamstress for a week and got an income tax slip from the Neptune Theatre that year. That was back in the 80's and I had forgotten about it till I read your post.

Thank you for taking the time to comment on Emily's blog, www.sewingsister.blogspot.com , and encourage her. She really enjoys reading your comments, and she really likes you a lot. I thought your idea of doing the cross stitch on a bodice was an excellent one, and we will keep that in mind for the future. It is something we would not have thought of idea on our own; so I'm glad you shared.

Some years ago, I was taking in alterations at home. In the morning, I altered a wedding bodice, in the afternoon, I made goat coats! From the sublime to the ridiculous! The goat coats are for baby kids at a petting zoo!Jennifer, Western Australia

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About Me

I am a passionate sewist who was taught heirloom hand sewing by Spanish nuns as a child. But my love of all things fiber has taken many turns since then. I have seriously sewn my entire life and can't imagine not doing so. I have tried other creative endeavors but now realize that designing and sewing clothing for myself and others is what I am meant to do. I pray this trip through my blog is one you will savor and return to. I've been proudly blogging since April of 2007.